Technical Communication Students

The Master of Science in Technical Communication admits 10 to 20 students each year, many of whom already work as technical communicators. Approximately half of the students have undergraduate degrees in technical, natural, and social sciences while the other half have degrees from humanities programs. Many have double majors or dual degrees that include both technical/scientific and humanities studies. You can view the latest M. S. Student Orientation Handbook here.

Since the inception of the Master of Science in Technical Communication in 1988, the quality of the program has been enhanced by a continual flow of first-rate students from across the nation. Four students in the program have won highly competitive NC State alumni fellowships. Four students have also won the prestigious Della Whittacker Scholarship from the Society for Technical Communication (STC), awarded in national competition to a few students each year.

The students maintain an active, vibrant student chapter of ACM's SIGDOC, which has won awards and which regularly hosts speakers, training classes, and social events. You can see the Student ACM SIGDOC site here.

Many students in the Master of Science in Technical Communication are active in the student chapters of professional organizations. As alumni they continue their memberships to supplement their careers. Some of the professional organizations that technical communicators are members of include:

Achievements of Technical Communication Students and Graduates

The English Department is proud of the many accomplishments of Technical Communication students and graduates. Students in the MS in Technical Communication program are repeatedly challenged to extend their efforts beyond routine course work, especially with regards to awards, publications, presentations, and professional achievement. The result is a long list of achievements such as those presented below.

NCSU Student STC Chapter Awards

Chapter of Distinction, Highest-rated Student (2009)
Chapter of Distinction, Highest-rated Student (2008)
Chapter of Distinction, Highest-rated Student (2007)
Newsletter, Excellence, Highest-rated Student (2007)
Public Relations, Excellence (2007)
Chapter of Excellence (2006)
Newsletter, Excellence (2006)
Chapter of Merit (2005)
Newsletter, Excellence, Most Improved Student (2005)
Chapter of Excellence (2004)
Chapter of Excellence (2003)
Newsletter Award of Merit (2003)
Chapter of Excellence (2002)
Chapter of Merit (2001)
Newsletter Award of Merit (2001)

NCSU Teaching Awards

Kimberly Rothwell, (2006-2007), Outstanding Teaching Assistant, Department of English
Kathleen Angione (2003-2004), Outstanding Teaching Assistant, College of Humanities and Social Sciences
Sarah Egan Warren (2003-2004), Outstanding Lecturer, College of Humanities and Social Sciences

Sigma Tau Chi Members (Society for Technical Communication Honorary Society)

Peggy Harvey (2010)
John Strange (2009)
Andrew Armstrong (2008)
John Martin (2007)
Kim Rothwell (2007)
Heather Brautman (2006)
Maggie Vannorman (2004)
Hope Chandler (2001)
Karen Mobley (2001)
Anna Weaver (2001)

Alumni Fellowship Winners

Anna Weaver (1998)
Michelle Keyser (1996)
John O'Connor (1996)
Morris Vaughan (1996)

Society for Technical Communication Della Whittaker Scholarship Winners

Anna Weaver (1999)
Kirsten Hale (1997)
Michelle Keyser (1996)
Linda Rudisill (1993)

Other Scholarship/Fellowship Winners

Robin Wienke, North Carolina Sea Grant Science Fellowship (2008-2009)
E-Ching Lee, North Carolina Sea Grant Science Fellowship (2006-2007)
Kathleen Angione, North Carolina Sea Grant Science Fellowship (2004-2005)

Publication/Service Awards from the Society for Technical Communication

Michelle Corbin, Distinguished Special Interest Group Award, Technical Editing (2009).
John Martin, Distinguished Service Award for Students, NCSU Chapter (2008).
Meredith (Blackwell) Kinder, Carolina Chapter Distinguished Chapter Service Award (2007).
Lisa Pappas, named Associate Fellow of the STC (2007).
Sue Ann Pentecost, Carolina Chapter Award of Merit, Promotional Materials, for Constella Group Corporate Brochure (2007).
Michael J. Albers, named Associate Fellow of the STC (2006).
Michelle Corbin, named Associate Fellow of the STC (2006).
Hope Chandler, International Merit Award, Promotional Materials, for Strategic Sourcing Web Series Invitation (2005).
Hope Chandler, International Distinguished Technical Communication Award, Promotional Materials, for Data Quality: A Best Practices Forum Invitation (2005).
Hope Chandler, Carolina Chapter Award of Merit, Promotional Materials, for the SAS Strategic Sourcing Web Series (2005).
Bridgette Wilson, Carolina Chapter Award of Excellence, IBM Portal Express Demonstration (2004).
Meredith Blackwelder, Carolina Chapter Award of Merit for the JMP 5.1 Quick Reference Card (2003).
Meredith Blackwelder, Carolina Chapter Award of Merit for the JMPer Cable Newsletter (2003).
Anna O'Neal, Carolina Chapter Award of Merit for IBM Planning, Installing and Configuring Host On-Demand (2003).
Hope Chandler, Carolina Chapter Award of Merit for the SAS "Popcorn" Direct Mail Promo (2003).
Sarah Egan Warren, Carolina Chapter Distinguished Chapter Service Award (2003).
Michelle Corbin, Carolina Chapter Distinguished Chapter Service Award (2003).
Mir Haynes, Carolina Chapter Award of Excellence for Online Technical Marketing for the Distinctive Remodeling LLC Web Site (2002).
Jill Miller Denning, Anna Weaver, Chapter Award of Excellence for Internal Newsletter (2002),
Anna Weaver, Carolina Chapter Distinguished Award for Online Technical Marketing for the RTI International External Web Site (2002).
Anna Weaver, Carolina Chapter Award of Excellence in Information Materials Design for the National Coastal Condition Report (2002).
Anna Weaver, Carolina Chapter Award of Excellence and Best of Show Award for the RTI International Annual Report (2002).
Michelle Corbin, Pat Moell, and Mike Boyd, STC's 2002 Frank R. Smith Award for Distinguished Technical Communication - Outstanding Journal Article, for "Technical Editing as Quality Assurance: Adding Value to Content." Technical Communication 49:3 (2002).
Michelle Corbin, Carolina Chapter Distinguished Chapter Service Award (2002).
Lisa Pappas, Awards of Merit from the Carolina Chapter of the STC's print and online publications awards for Möbius MPRES Help System and others (1997, 1999).
Marty Tomasi, Award of Excellence, International Online Communication Competition, and Award of Excellence, Carolina Chapter Publication Competition for Solution @ Work help system (1997).
Michelle Corbin Nichols, Achievement Award in the International Newsletter Competition for editing "Carolina Communiqué Newsletter" (1997).
Michelle Corbin Nichols, Carolina Chapter Achievement Awards for two technical reports (1994, 1996).
Michelle Corbin Nichols, Distinguished Article Award, International Technical Communication Competition (1996).
Linda Enders, Award of Excellence, International Online Communication Competition for online tutorial, "Case Studies in Essential Hypertension" and Award of Excellence, Carolina Chapter Online Communication Competition (1996).

Publications

Yoel Strimling and Michelle Corbin (2009). "Editing Modular Documentation: Some Best Practices." Intercom 56:5.
Michelle Corbin and Andrea L. Ames (2007). "Information Architecture: Contributing Strategically to the Success of Our Customers and Our Business." Technical Communication 54:1.
Michelle Corbin, Elizabeth Wilde, Jana Jenkins, and Shannon Rouiller (2006). "Defining a Quality System: Nine Characteristics of Quality and the Editing for Quality Process." Technical Communication 53: 4.
Linda Enders Roberts (2006). Using an Access-centered Design to Improve Accessibility: A Primer for Technical Communicators." Technical Communication 53: 1.
Michelle Kidd Tackaberry (2005). "Defining Glossaries." Technical Communication 52:4.
Mark Bright (2005). "Creating, Implementing, and Maintaining Corporate Style Guides in an Age of Technology." Technical Communication 52:1.
Michael J. Albers (2003). "Single Sourcing and the Technical Communication Career Path." Technical Communication 50: 3.
Lisa Pappas, Jeanette Bottitta, and Alexia Prendergast Idoura (2003). "Moving to Single Sourcing: Managing the Effects of Organizational Changes." Technical Communication 50: 3.
John Balchunas (2003). "Subsidiary Reviews in the European Union." Intercom 50:5 (May, 2003).
Mir Haynes (2003). "Information Architecture: You Do It, You Just Don't Know It." Intercom 50: 4 (April, 2003).
Carl Nuckols & Jeff Canna (2003). "Extreme Documentation." Intercom 50:2 (February, 2003).
Karen Mobley, Clinton Knight, and Timothy Meserth (2003). "Designing Embedded Help to Encourage Inadvertent Learning." Technical Communication 50:1.
Dave Kmiec et al (2003). "Integrating Teaming, Writing, and Speaking in CHE Unit Operations Lab," Proceedings of the 2003 American Society for Engineering Education Annual Conference.
Michelle Corbin, Pat Moell, and Mike Boyd (2002). "Technical Editing as Quality Assurance: Adding Value to Content." Technical Communication 49:3.
Glenda Burch (2002). "First Commentary on 'XML and the New Design Regime.'" ACM Journal of Computer Documentation 26:2.
Mir Haynes (2002). "Second Commentary on 'XML and the New Design Regime.'" ACM Journal of Computer Documentation 26:2.
John Payne (2002). "Third Commentary on 'XML and the New Design Regime.'" ACM Journal of Computer Documentation 26:2.
Kelly Horn (2001). "The Consequences of Citing Hedged Statements in Scientific Research Articles." Bioscience 51:12.
Heather Bell, Kathleen Walch, and Steven B. Katz (2000). “Aristotle’s Pharmacy: The Medical Rhetoric of a Clinical Protocol in the Drug Development Process.” Special Issue on Medical Rhetoric, Barbara Heifferon and Stuart Brown, Editors. Technical Communication Quarterly 9:3 (Summer 2000): 249-269.
Beth Spragins (1999). Voices in the Debate on Physician-Assisted Suicide: A Metaphoric Analysis. Edwin Mellen Press. Preface by Steven B. Katz.
Mitchell Arnold (1998). "Building a Truly World Wide Web: A Review of the Essentials of International Communication." Technical Communication 45:2.
Elizabeth Shamblin (1997) - Mehlenbacher, B. & Elizabeth Shamblin. (1997). Multi-User Domains, Electronic Newspapers, and the Development of New Modes of Expression and New Communities. The Rhetorical Dimensions of Cyberspace. B. Baldwin & T. Flood (Eds.). RhetNet: A Dialogical Publishing (Ad)Venture: http://dewey.lc.missouri.edu/rhetnet/rdc/.
Linda Enders (1996) - Mehlenbacher, B. & Linda Enders. (1996). Marshalling New Technological Forces: Building a Corporate, Academic, and User-Oriented Triangle. ACM SIGDOC Conference 96: The 14th Annual International ACM SIGDOC Conference Proceedings. Research Triangle Park, NC: ACM, ISBN 0-89-791-799-5, October 20-23.
Michelle Corbin Nichols (1996). "Indexing Online Information." Technical Communication 43 (2): 146-156; co-authored with Ralph Earle and Robert Berry.
Michelle Corbin Nichols (1996). "Design Principles for Multi-Window Online Information Systems." Technical Communication 43 (3): 244-254; co-authored with Robert R. Berry.
Katie Schuler (1995). "Preparing for ISO 9000 Registration: The Role of the Technical Communicator." SIGDOC'95: The 13th Annual International ACM SIGDOC Conference Proceedings. Savannah, GA: ACM, 148-154.
Beth Hardin (with Mehlenbacher, Barrett, & Clagett). (1994). "Multi-User Domains and Virtual Campuses: Implications for Computer-Mediated Collaboration and Technical Communication." SIGDOC'94: The 12th Annual International Conference Proceedings. New York: ACM, 213-219.
Michelle Corbin Nichols (1994). "Using Style Guidelines to Create Consistent Online Information." Technical Communication 41 (3): 432-438.
Beth Spragins (1992). "Developing Hypertext Documents for an International Audience." SIGDOC'92: The 10th Annual International Conference Proceedings. New York: ACM, 27-34.

Graduate Programs

MS in Technical Communication